


Gotta Get It Right

by Nikkalia



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, F/M, Gen, I Don't Even Know, I'm just making this up as I go along - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2019-06-15 08:47:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 18,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15409323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikkalia/pseuds/Nikkalia
Summary: Aleksa lives as an Inhuman at SHIELD's beckon call, but dreams of another life have her questioning everything she’s ever known. Just when she's settled into a life of peace and quiet, she's called back to duty.





	1. En'tracte

**Author's Note:**

> Oh boy, here we go. I’ve been working on this on and off for a while. It’s still a work/re-work in progress, and I can’t promise I’ll post regularly. Many, many thanks to my lovely hens for the encouragement and vocabulary assistance!
> 
> Now, be advised: this story will deal with violence, PTSD, torture, dubious con, and rape. If these are triggers, move along.

Dawn broke as it always did, filling the dark blue skies with oranges and purples over the sea lined horizon. Aleksa focused on the shifts in energy that accompanied the rising sun, forcing herself to drive back the visions her nightmare held. A village burned but the location escaped her. She could’ve sworn that curry perfumed the smoke as it billowed into the sky, but the buildings she saw were mud and thatch set in the snow. It didn’t make sense. 

But then her dreams never did. 

The morning meditations finished, Aleksa settled in with the newest vampire novel from her favorite author and a cup of fresh coffee. There was something soothing about the crashing waves sending salt water into the air, mixed with the aromas of breakfast blend steaming from the mug. Time escaped her in the pages of vampiric escapades until someone had the audacity to knock on her door. 

Aleksa ignored it. She simply stared out at the ocean, sipping her coffee, assuming that the roving religious nut would get bored and move on to their next target. Eventually, the pounding stopped, and she went back to her book. 

Twenty minutes later, a male voice bellowed her name from the beach below. She snapped the book shut and growled.

“Goddamn it.” 

The man climbed his way up the embankment, dressed like an extra from the MIB films, black shoes in hand. A woman young enough to be his daughter followed him. “Colonel Pettersson? May we have a minute of your time?”

“Agent Coulson,” she said flatly, “how nice to see you. Agent Johnson.” Aleksa waited for them to get to the top of her deck before continuing. “What do you want?”

“You didn’t hear us knocking?” Coulson sat on the step, wiping the sand from his feet.

“Nope. What do you want?”

“Huh. I was pretty sure...”

“What. Do. You. Want?”

Daisy shot Coulson a look of exasperation. “We have an assignment for you.”

“Not interested.” Aleksa grabbed her coffee mug and book and went into the house. 

“Your planet needs you,” Coulson called after her, following her in. 

“My planet? Definitely not interested.” The mug and book landed on the stone countertop before she moved to the front door.

“It’s covert ops,” Daisy added. 

“Still not,” she paused when she looked out of the front window. “Dammit Coulson. This,” she pointed to the agents standing outside, “is a direct violation of my discharge agreement.”

“Your Marine Corps discharge terms are intact. This is SHIELD.”

“Then it’s a violation of my contract with SHIELD. It’s also cheating.”

“Don’t you want to know where you’re going first?” Daisy asked, wandering around the older woman’s home.

“Not especially, but I’m sure you’ll tell me anyway.” She shot Daisy a look. “Pick up whatever bugs you’re planting. The satellite you’ve got poised over my house can see everything just fine.”

Coulson exchanged glances with Daisy, who palmed the tiny disc from the tabletop. “You’re leading a team off-world to recover stranded researchers. Get in, get them, get out. Easy.”

“If it’s so easy, Phil, you do it.”

“Can’t. My face is too well known up there.”

Aleksa turned her gaze to him. “Up where?”

“Asgard,” Daisy answered.

“Oh, no.” Aleksa started laughing. “No no no no no no. I am not doing an extraction from Asgard. That hammer-wielding blonde you're so buddy-buddy with should be able to send them home. You don’t need me.”

“Thor is searching for the Infinity Stones. We don’t know where he is.”

“What? You can’t ask his dad?”

Daisy moved back to Coulson’s side. “Odin is out of the picture.”

“Who’s running the show up there now?”

“We’re not certain, but intelligence believes that Thor’s brother...”

Aleksa opened the door with a grand gesture to usher them out. “Then absolutely not.” The pair didn’t move, and the agents outside moved to block the exit. “I am within my rights to refuse.”

“I’m sorry, Colonel, but this isn’t a request. You have a very valuable skill set that is necessary for this mission to succeed.”

“Send Romanoff.”

“Not the skill set we need. The team needs to come home before they’re compromised and we can’t risk an all-out war with Loki. You’re the best option they have.”

“The last time someone said that I ended up on an 18 month vacation in Afghanistan.” When neither of them changed their posture, Aleksa sighed, pinching her temple between her fingers. “This is a terrible idea.” She moved to a small hallway just off the living room when she was met by yet another agent holding her travel bag, already packed. “Seriously?”

“We’re nothing if efficient.”

Aleksa snatched the bag from the agent’s hand. “You’re a pain in the ass. And this scheme of yours is going to end badly.” She pushed through the guards at the door and headed down the steps. “Empty the coffee pot and lock the door. I’d like for my house to be intact when I get back.” The door of the black SUV slammed shut. 

Coulson turned to Daisy with a grin. “She’s interested.”


	2. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As my mother always says, the thought plickens...

Armed guards stood their posts, watching Coulson, Daisy, and Aleksa disembark the Quinjet and head towards Agent Melinda May. Coulson had his usual self-satisfied grin on his face. 

“Told you she’d come.” 

May just grimaced, turning her attention to the redhead in front of her. “I’m more worried about what you promised to get her here.” She turned to the redhead in front of her. “Lex. Back to your natural color?”

“Figured it was time for a change. I heard about Andrew. I’m sorry.”

“So was I.” 

Aleksa nodded, following the group into the base, peeking through what windows she could as they traveled deeper underground. The constantly changing tech available to SHIELD was mind boggling and only served to grow her concern. They finally arrived at the conference room where three other soldiers waited. Coulson introduced everyone.

“Specialists Altair Nesis and Christen Spartak, and you know Captain Brian Reece, SHIELD Special Forces. They’ll be your extraction team.”

“This is it? Three men?”

“We are the best of the best, ma’am.” Spartak stepped forward. 

“Semper Fi, Marine. Stand down,” she answered, immediately recognizing the stance drilled into the man. “Still a little light, given where we’re going,” she sighed. “Alright, Reece, what’s the story?”

Reece moved to the large projection screen, calling up the profiles of the missing people. “Research team of 5: two men, three women, all experienced SHIELD field ops with minimal combat training. They’ve been off-world for six weeks, due to return in a few days. Communication from the team stopped 24 hours ago, following reports of a decreasing frequency. A beacon near the portal is still broadcasting, but there’s nothing coming through.”

“Hmm. How stable is the portal?”

“Relatively,” Coulson answered. “We watched it for almost a year before we sent the team through. It runs on a forty-three-minute rotation, open for about five minutes before going dark.”

“Does it close or just go invisible?”

“That’s what we’re hoping you can tell us.”

Aleksa quirked an eyebrow. “Any other operatives on Asgard?”

“None that have any intel. No mentions of captured humans or of planned executions.” Reece replied.

“He’d kill them?” Aleksa moved closer to the screen, scrolling through data. 

May shrugged. “Who knows? It’s Loki.” 

“That’s comforting. Why are they up there to begin with?”

“Research.”

Aleksa turned to Coulson, who was leaning against the desk. “Thank you for the tactical update, captain obvious. What kind of research?” 

“It’s classified.” 

Aleksa rolled her eyes before glaring at him. “Infinity stones, Asgardian military strength, or tech?” Coulson’s expression never changed. “I suppose you’ll want the equipment back as well?”

“Of course.”

“Any visuals of that side of the portal, or their base camp?” Reece called the appropriate photographs. “You dumped them right next to a training facility? Jesus, Coulson. When you jack something up, you go for broke, don’t you?”

“There’s sufficient cover to cross between worlds.”

“Then why didn’t they just come home?”

“We don’t know. That’s why we’re sending you.”

“Great.” Aleksa sighed heavily. “Any other portals between Asgard and Earth?”

“The team thought they found two more, but we never received confirmation one way or the other. Another reason why we need you.”

“So they might not even be on Asgard?”

“It’s possible but highly unlikely. Beacon images showed the team right before the line went dead.” May answered. 

Aleksa turned to Nesis. “And what’s your role in all this?”

“To cover your ass, ma’am.”

“More like I’d cover yours.” Judging by the shift in his posture, the soldier took her statement personally. “Me, two hired guns and an ops guy, with practically no intel, versus a megalomaniac demi-god and an Asgardian battalion. Should be fun.” Aleksa shook her head. “Is this an ‘any means’ assignment?” Coulson and May looked at each other. “Oh for frak’s sake...” 

“Returning the team is your top priority.”

“But you wouldn’t be upset if I put a spear through Loki’s chest?” 

Coulson blanched. “Just get the team home.” 

Aleksa watched him leave without another word. May followed him with her gaze, then turned back to the woman staring at a map with Reece. 

“That was a little harsh, even for you, Lex.”

“Probably,” Aleksa responded absently. “I’m not exactly at one hundred percent right now.”

May’s brow furrowed. “Dreams again?”

“Still.” She glanced up to see dark brown eyes boring into her. “They never stopped. Now they’re just...weird. Like someone decided to create a B movie of a bad acid trip.” 

“Maybe you should get checked out before you go.”

“And have yet another doc tell me it’s the PTSD and want to add more meds? No thanks.” She mumbled something to Reece, who nodded and left. “Besides, I need full access to all my toys if I’m going up against Frosty the Bad Mood Reindeer.”

May just rolled her eyes. “At least your sense of humor is intact.” She looked up at the map still glowing above them. “Think you can pull this off?”

“I’d feel better if you were going with me. And,” Aleksa toggled the map to another screen, “it’d help if I knew what I’m really going up there after.”

“I wish I knew.” 

“Gentlemen,” Aleksa turned to the soldiers behind her, “give us the room, please. You, too, Reece.” When the door closed, she keyed off the monitors. “May. Why did Coulson send a field team to Asgard?”

“He didn’t.”

“Then who...Fury.” Aleksa’s eyes narrowed while May’s expression never changed. “Is the rescue a primary or secondary order?” 

May said nothing as she pulled a small piece of paper from her vest. Aleksa took it and read it over several times before speaking. 

“Oh, my aching Christ...you’ve got to be kidding me. Does Phil know about this?” 

May smirked. 

“I want hazard pay,” Aleksa muttered, giving the paper back to May as she walked out of the conference room.


	3. Departure

The trio of soldiers stood a few hundred feet from the portal location, securing the final pieces of equipment to their uniforms. A SHIELD tech ran to Aleksa’s side as Coulson approached, handing her a small box. 

“...shielded against just about every kind of energy we know about, including the light pillar they use to travel.” She opened the box and removed a microSD chip. “32 terabyte capacity, with software to begin a data dump from any device the reader is attached to, foreign or domestic. And,” the tech continued, “it will also start transmitting to the beacon and back to the systems here.” 

Aleksa smirked. “You can pull data from another planet but I can’t get a wireless signal inside an elevator. Brilliant.” 

“What’s this?” Coulson asked as she slid the chip underneath her watch. 

“Plan F.” 

“We need the equipment back.”

“And I need you to stop calling me out of reserve every time some excursion goes south. What’s your point?”

“Loki could use that data against us.”

“Loki could use a self-inflicted paper cut against us.” She folded her arms. “It’s not like they were searching for the technical readouts to a battle station. Were they?”

“The Empire would be easier to defend against.”

“Says the man with all the high powered laser cannons.” Aleska suddenly doubled over like she’d been punched in the stomach, hands flying to her ears. “Fuck! That’s loud.”

Coulson looked around, confused. “What is...” Aleksa pointed to the area where the portal would form. “That isn’t due for another ten minutes.” He watched her straighten up and shake her head.

“You sure about that?” 

Just as he was about to debate the point, the portal hissed into existence. “Huh.” He turned to face her glare. “Looks like you’re leaving early.”

“Phil, I swear to God...”

“I wouldn’t do that too loudly. Loki might hear you.”

“I hate you.” She grimaced and turned to the men behind her. “Saddle up, boys. Time to go.”

“Lex?” Coulson called as the soldiers each stepped through. She turned to face him. He fumbled for a moment. “Good hunting.” 

She nodded and stepped through.

And promptly collapsed when she arrived on the other side.

“Easy, Colonel,” Nesis spoke quietly, offering a supportive hand. Spartak was doubled over a few feet away, emptying his stomach. Reece knelt down to check on him. 

Aleksa took several deep breaths to steady her spinning head, placing a hand on the ground. Energy surged beneath her fingers. She opened her eyes and focused on the electromagnetic patterns running through the terrain, noting how the colors changed the closer they ran to the portal. The hiss of the portal behind her slowly grew softer, allowing her to hear broken calls from Coulson. She nodded to Nesis and stood. 

“Alpha team to base. We’re through. Give us a minute to get our bearings.” She switched on the tiny camera attached to her vest. “Base? Do you copy?” She turned to the portal, feeling it dissipate from existence.

Spartak finally stood, leaning on Reece. “We’re on our own?”

“It would appear so, for an hour at least,” Aleska answered. “We’ll head for the research camp, see if we can find any clues about where our friends wandered off to.”

“Their beacon is still transmitting. Camp’s about half a kilometer that way,” Reece said, pointing to a soft glow in the distance. 

“Distress signal or regular transmissions?” Spartak mumbled. 

“Neither.” Aleksa stepped to his side, looking at the device in Reece’s hand. “No signal. It’s just on.”

“I don’t like it,” Nesis sighed. “If it’s on but not transmitting, then no one came back to turn it off.”

Aleksa and Reece exchanged glances. “Only one way to know,” he said.

“The sooner we find them, the sooner we go home,” she responded, chambering a round in her weapon. “Move out.”


	4. The Search

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm just gonna go ahead and say it: this chapter sucks. Seriously. I've been struggling with it for two weeks, and I'm still not happy with it. But, in the interest of my sanity and getting on with it, here's the chapter. 
> 
> And my apologies. The next one will be better. I promise.

The group moved quietly along the tree line towards the encampment, only pausing now and again to check their progress. Aleksa took these moments to survey their surroundings. Asgard’s golden palace shown like a beacon in the distance, glistening above the city’s glow and the purple topped horizon behind. It all seemed familiar to her as if she’d seen this place before. She couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that ran deeper than deja vu. The desire to retreat to her tiny beach home grew stronger. 

A pair of Asgardian soldiers made their way around the edge of the camp just as Aleksa and her team approached. The four dropped to the ground, watching the Asgardians poke through the tall grass a few feet away, muttering to each other. Just as they resumed their patrol, a branch snapped in the forest behind the human party, and all involved turned to see the cause. 

“What the hell?” Nesis gasped when a massive creature emerged from the shadows of the forest, emitting an ear-splitting shriek before charging. 

Aleksa and Nesis rolled to one side, Spartak and Reece to the other while the Asgardians tried to run. Reece held Spartak down when he tried to stand and fire on the creature currently distracted by the Asgardian trying to rescue his companion, impaled on an antler. The creature simply snapped the would be rescuer up in its mouth and stomped back into the forest followed by the sound of crunching bones. The four remaining humans held their breaths, waiting to see if the creature would return.

“Well, that was terrifying,” Reece sighed after a time. “What was that thing?”

“Best guess is bilgesnipe. Thor described them once on the helicarrier,” Spartak answered quietly. Aleksa stood, dusting the grass from her uniform. 

“You were on the helicarrier?” Nesis asked, following Aleksa’s lead. 

“Yeah. I don’t recommend it.” 

“Let’s go,” Aleksa began walking toward their destination. “We need to search the camp before their buddies come looking for them.” 

“Do you think one of those things got the research team?” Reece asked. 

Aleksa stopped. “No. Someone would have triggered the distress beacon.”

“But if it snapped up an...”

“Cut the chatter,” Aleksa barked. “Hypotheticals aren’t going to help us right now.” 

They completed the silent journey to the camp on high alert. Every tiny sound caused someone in the group to jump, making their search of the camp even more nerve-wracking with the noises coming from the training facility nearby. Nesis and Spartak stood guard outside of a tent while Aleksa and Reece began their investigation.

“It looks like they left with the intention of coming back,” Reece said, looking through scattered papers. “They would’ve taken their notes with them if they were planning to escape.”

Aleksa turned on one of the laptops, shaking her head while scrolling through the data. “I don’t think they were intending to come home anytime soon, either.”

“Coulson lied to us?”

“Or Fury lied to him.” Aleksa sighed. “They had secondary orders.”

Reece looked up at her. “Do we?”

“No.”

“Do you?”

“That’s classified.” 

A series of gunshots broke her train of thought. 

“Shit. We’ve got company.” Reece whispered. Aleksa switched on the transmitter she’d attached to the laptop, and both stepped out of the structure. Spartak was firing wildly at a large company of Asgardian soldiers approaching from their facility. 

“Spartak!” Aleksa screamed. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“I’m tired of running away from these fucking aliens thinking they do whatever they want to us,” he growled, feeding ammunition into his rifle.

“You idiot! We’re on their turf. Let’s go!”  
He ignored her, screaming as he opened fire again. 

Aleksa pulled her weapon and pointed it at Spartak. “Goddammit, Marine! Stand down! That’s an order!” 

Spartak continued to fire at the soldiers until they reached him. The rifle flew from his hands, landing somewhere in the tall grass. Aleksa and Reece tried to grab Nesis as they attempted an escape, but he broke away and ran towards his companion when Spartak fell.

“We can’t leave him!” 

Reece grabbed Aleksa’s arm, pointing to the soldiers approaching from the forest. Both made for the spot where Nesis struggled with one of the Asgardians Spartak had managed to wound. Without thinking, Aleksa disarmed one of the Asgardians and knocked him to the ground. She took two others when the group from the tree line arrived. A quick glance over her shoulder saw more soldiers coming from the camp, and she knew they were grossly outnumbered, despite the struggle Reece and Nesis were putting up. 

“Stand down! Stand down!” she screamed. Reece and Nesis stopped their fighting and were immediately knocked to the ground. 

Aleksa knelt beside Spartak, her fingers searching for a pulse under Spartak’s jaw. “Dammit.” An Asgardian soldier approached as she pulled one of the tags from the chain around his neck, pocketing it. “He’s dead.” 

The three humans were dragged to their feet and marched back to the training facility in chains. As they were loaded onto a skiff, Aleksa watched the electromagnetic fields shift to signal the opening of the portal. She made a slow turn to show Reece, Nesis, and their captors to the camera still strapped to her chest. Coulson’s voice swore in the tiny IFB in her ear. Reece exchanged glances with her and signed “plan B” to the camera. Aleksa nodded when Coulson’s confirmation came, then turned her attention to the golden building growing larger in front of them.


	5. Dungeons and Demi-Gods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _One chapter became two because Nesis wouldn't shut up. I guess he's mad that his part isn't bigger. Typical male LOL._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _Anyway, enjoy!_

The group was paraded through the darkened corridors of the dungeon to a large cell. Prisoners howled and taunted the humans as they passed, threatened all manner of tortures should they ever be freed. They were stopped in front of a smaller cell whose occupants leaped to their feet.

“Oh my God, finally,” one of the women cried, “SHIELD agents. You’ve come to rescue us!” Her excitement turned to questioning as the guards shoved their prisoners into the cell. Aleksa stumbled against the corner as the guards restored the electrified wall. Reece leaned over her. 

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” she swallowed, still adjusting to the cell’s environment. “It’ll pass.”

“Fucking useless Inhuman,” Nesis growled.

“This Inhuman is going to get you home, soldier.” Reece spat back.

“How? She can’t even stand up for more than ten minutes, much less mount a rescue!”

“Maybe if your buddy hadn’t started firing on soldiers who didn’t even know we were there...”

Reece stood toe to toe with Nesis, getting louder as they argued. Members of the research team tried to interject without success while Aleksa sank to the floor. The energy surrounding the cell overloaded her senses, making her nauseous and deaf and lightheaded at the same time. She knew she would pass out if she couldn’t find a way to regain her balance.

“Because your ‘classified’ orders have landed us in this damn cell. They got Spartak killed!” Nesis shouted.

It took everything Aleksa had to focus on her breathing, ignoring the commotion growing behind her. She was barely aware of the protests of the research team as she reached for the golden wall of light. The power that briefly surged through her burned her fingertips but cleared her head. The blinding white light turned gold then vanished, leaving behind trails of gold and orange where power lines ran. The static pummeling her eardrums softened, allowing half a dozen languages to become apparent. When she was once again aware of her immediate surroundings, she found the entire group staring at her and felt the eyes of her fellow prisoners on her from across the corridor. 

“Yes, this Inhuman is going to get all of you home. My orders were sealed at Nick Fury's direction. And,” Aleksa responded flatly, climbing to her feet. “Spartak is dead because he couldn’t control his impulses, because he couldn’t follow orders. Can you?” Nesis only stared.

“Umm, ma’am?” One of the researchers approached cautiously. “What, exactly, are your abilities? I mean, you just took a huge shock and your fingers are barely singed.” 

Aleksa looked down at her hand, watching the skin of her fingertips return to their natural pink color. “It’s complicated,” she sighed.

“What are your orders, Colonel?” Reece asked quietly while checking her hand.

“Same as they were when we got here: get the team home.” 

“And how do you propose to do that when we’re all in an Asgardian dungeon?” another researcher whined. 

“I’m working on it.”

Nesis stepped to her side, pointing to the guards moving towards their cell. “Work faster.”

The glowing wall vanished, allowing the guards access to the cell. They surrounded the group and forced them into the corridor. “You and Reece take flank and be ready. I told you we’re getting out of here.” 

Aleksa walked ahead of the group through the massive halls, surrounded by soldiers. The architecture of the building made their journey sound more ominous, clomping boots echoing through archways and side halls. It reminded her of marching drills in boot camp, minus the relentless shouting. The guards here were eerily quiet. Massive doors opened ahead of them, revealing the open interior of the throne room. Columns reached into the air, supporting arched ceilings that reminded her of the old gothic churches in Europe. The path to the golden throne went on forever, dotted on either side with fire stands that appeared to serve no purpose other than aesthetic. 

The researchers behind her began to mutter amongst themselves, commenting on the symbology of the designs that surrounded them. Aleksa’s focus remained on their return home, looking for strategic opportunities for escape should they be needed. She noticed the pile of equipment near the throne and the guards that surrounded it. Unless they were released, the gear would have to be left behind, she decided, thankful that the transmitter appeared to still be operational. Only when the guards leading the parade to the throne slowed did Aleksa turn her focus to the man descending the dais.

_Loki._


	6. Face Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look! It’s the God of Mischief himself. It only took six chapters to get him into the mix. Now, the fun begins!
> 
> *Posts; runs and hides*

_Only when the guards leading the parade to the throne slowed did Aleksa turn her focus to the man descending the dais._

_Loki._

He was shorter than she’d imagined. She knew he stood just over six feet tall, a good eight inches above her, but the massive horned helmet resting on his head added at least another foot of clearance while making him appear shorter, if not slightly ridiculous. The cloak around his shoulders didn’t help. It seemed to have been designed for someone else, dwarfing his thin frame. Asgardians have a fetish for bizarre apparel, she thought, though the research team would have assured her that it was all symbolic. It only made her distaste for the realm worse. 

Loki strode to the equipment stack as the guards stopped, dropping to one knee. He looked over the gear before turning to see the human military members still standing. 

“Have you no respect for your superiors?” Condescension dripped from his voice. 

“We don’t cower before our leaders, your Highness.” Aleksa noticed a flick of his fingers before their guards were suddenly upon her, forcing her to her knees. 

Loki walked towards the group, studying each of them. He found them unremarkable, except for their leader. He was struck by the range of colors in Aleksa’s fearless eyes. She was attractive, even for a human, but he sensed something different about her, something below the surface. With his curiosity peaked, the sadistic smile appeared. 

“In the end, you will always kneel,” he whispered. Aleksa suppressed a shiver. The man definitely had the charisma to be a god, and the ego to boot. “Why are you here?”

“Cultural and anthropological archaeology. These researchers were merely trying to better understand the worlds around Earth and the races that inhabit them.”

“By sneaking onto Asgard and gathering intelligence about the strength of my armies?”

“The camp’s proximity to a training facility had no bearing on the work these people were doing...”

“But you know where they are,” he snapped. “You intended to launch a quiet strike against us. Why else would *you* be here?”

Aleksa shook off her guards and stood, eliciting gasps from the court members around them as she forced Loki back. “*I* am here to ensure that these innocent people are safely returned to their families.” Loki stepped closer to her. “By any means necessary.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Not at all,” she responded. He was surprised at the calm in her voice. “We have no quarrel with you or Asgard.” 

“Then why send a military outfit to lead these so-called innocents home?”

“Would you not send warriors to a potentially hostile world to recover civilians?”

“*I* would not allow unarmed civilians to enter a potentially hostile situation.” Loki stared at her for a moment, again caught up in her eyes. He fought his body’s reaction to her scent and the fullness of her lips. 

Aleksa found herself examining his face, noting that the gold helmet was reflected in the emerald green eyes boring into her. The harder he tried to intimidate her with his posture, the more she could see something hiding behind the malice. Something...familiar. 

“With all due respect, your Highness, what are your intentions with us?”

“I’m taking your research and adding it to the vast collection of our own. Outside of that, there is nothing you have that interests me.”

“Then you will release us?”

Loki shook his head. “Hmm, no. You were caught committing acts of treason against Asgard. The punishment is death.” He waved them off, striding back to the dais.

“Based on what evidence?” 

“The slaughter of two of my Einherjar. Take them.”

“What? How is that...” Aleksa struggled against the guards now holding her. Loki ignored her and the cries of the people behind her. She fought off one of the guards before being tackled by two others that pinned her to the ground. Out of options, she screamed. 

“I challenge your claim to the throne of Asgard!” 

Loki whirled around, laughing. “You what?”

“Your claim to the throne is unjust. You are, at best, a regent in Thor’s absence. I challenge the legitimacy of your absolute rule!” The guards holding her down released her, scrambling to get out of Loki’s way. Before she could even blink, Loki was in front of her, fuming.

“How dare you! I am Loki, son of Odin, king...”

“You are Loki, son of Laufey, adopted by Odin.” The gasps of everyone gathered in the hall didn’t go unnoticed. “And as long Odin’s firstborn still lives, you have no authority.” His rage filled the room. 

“Neither do you, Midgardian.”

“Any soul of the Nine Realms may make a claim against the king of Asgard. That is your law.” 

“Name your terms,” he sneered.

“My party are returned to Earth, along with all of their materials, intact and unharmed.”

“And if I win?”

“You may do with me what you will.”

“There is no advantage to me in this.” He snorted, walking away as he continued. “You will die last, watching them suffer for what you have dared attempt.”

“Then you legitimize my claim against you.” 

“How? When I win, I will do with them...”

“Me. You may do with ME what you will.” Loki began to scoff, then realized that he’d neglected to amend her terms. She’d outmaneuvered him into releasing his captives regardless of how their duel ended. And she’d done it in front of his court and half of Asgard. He wondered if she was valuable to him after all. 

“Choose your weapons,” he growled. 

“Daggers. No armor. And no tricks. The first illusion you cast, I win.”

“To the death, then?” Loki smirked when she nodded. “Too easy. You may have your challenge.”

Aleksa nodded and moved back to her group, shedding her flak vest and weapons belt. Reece approached her. “Are you out of your mind? He’ll kill you before you even get close.”

“Probably.”

“You’re betting our lives on a promise from the god of deceit? You actually trust him?”

“Nope.” She smiled. “He’s arrogant, but not ignorant. He knows his seat on the throne is precarious. He won’t dare defy an agreement made in front of the entire court. Half of the people here are likely looking for a reason to get rid of him. He’s not stupid enough to give them one. Either way, I win and you go home. Get them off-world before the fight ends.” She took the daggers offered by one of the guards. 

“Lex...”

“Plan C. That’s an order, Captain. Tell Coulson I want the hazard pay, a raise, and a release from my contract.” She turned just in time to see Loki charging for her. She dodged, dropping into a roll. “GO!” The group, led by Reece, turned and hurried out of the hall, followed by two guards. 

Loki watched the crowd close in front of the door before turning back to his opponent. 

“I do hope you enjoy pain,” he grinned. 

Aleksa lowered her stance. “Oh, shut up and fight.” 

“As you wish.” 

Loki charged again, spinning right just before he reached her. Aleksa saw the shift a second too late, yelping when his blade caught her bare arm. She swung around, blocking his next strike and delivering a blow of her own, her blade finding the soft flesh of his cheek. The fight continued in equal measure for some time, each combatant trading hits and drawing blood. He knocked her to the floor with a backhand swing, she landed a kick to his chest that sent him sliding into the crowd. Furious that he was unable to gain any headway in the fight, he grabbed her from behind, knocking the blades from her hands. He spun her to face him, wanting to watch the life drain from her eyes when he slit her throat. 

“Now you die.”

A knee to his groin was her response. He collapsed to the floor, watching her retrieve the daggers he’d knocked away. She returned, kicking his ribs as he tried to stand. 

“Stay down.” 

He groaned, driven by rage as he made a second attempt to rise. She kicked him again, rolling him onto his back, then dropped down, pinning his arms with her legs. Their eyes locked. Where she found fury and disbelief, he saw determination. 

“I said stay down.”

“You can not let me live,” he panted.

“Yes, I can. I don’t want your throne.”

She turned at the sound of soldiers entering the hall. Loki took the opportunity and knocked her over, his blade back at her throat. “You were warned, human.” 

Aleksa smiled. “So were you, Jotun.” Loki winced at a sudden pain in his side and looked down to find her blade digging into the flesh covering his ribcage. She called to the guards. “Where is my team?”

“Delivered back to Earth, my...lady?” 

“Good.” Loki’s face returned to hers when she withdrew the dagger from his side. “You win.” 

He leaned back slightly in confusion when she grabbed the wrist controlling blade at her throat, twisted it, and plunged the blade into her own chest.


	7. More Questions than Answers

Loki stood in the throne room, staring at the spot where Aleksa fell. The floor had been scrubbed clean of spilled blood, but he could still sense where the duel had ended. The whole incident confused him. He’d been drawn in through ego and hubris, that much was certain, but he’d resisted similar bait from others a million times before. This woman, _this human_ , had somehow managed to get inside his head, and that made her dangerous. 

Or did it? If she could become an ally, or at the very least coerced - no, persuaded - to become a warrior for him, the woman could prove quite useful. If nothing else, she put up enough of a fight to make breaking her entertaining, and Norns knew he needed a little entertainment in his life at the moment. The women of court were too easy, too eager to please him. 

He weighed the possibilities, then dismissed the entire thought. The whole concept depended solely on her surviving the treatments she received in the healing suites. It would be a waste, he concluded, if her attempted suicide was successful. She had so much potential.

Curiosity drove him to the healing facilities. Staff nodded and bowed as he entered the observation area where he met Eir emerging from a treatment room.

“How’s our Midgardian?”

“Not Midgardian.” 

Loki’s eyebrow quirked as another healer arrived, curtsied, and whispered something to Eir.

“That doesn’t make sense. Go back to the original dosage and see what happens.” She turned to Loki. “With respect, my liege, my patient’s evaluation, and treatment have been challenging enough without having to consider her heritage. Her body is adapting and becomes resistant to our efforts.”

“And if you stop treatment?”

“I honestly do not know,” Loki smirked. “In all my centuries as a healer, I have never seen the likes of this woman. There are odd genetic sequences that suggest forced mutations, which may or may not explain the way her body reacts to treatment. She has most assuredly been experimented on, and that in itself is likely causing some of our problems.” Eir sighed. “The bottom line is that the more we do, the more she fights us. It’s as if she wants to be left alone to heal. Or die.”

Loki studied the woman at his side staring at her patient in confusion. He stepped closer to the window, watching as the team of healers worked frantically. The soul forge hovering over Aleksa’s body told him that her condition was still critical. A glimpse of her face showed him a portrait of calm, relaxed slumber as if she was happy to see her life’s end. He wondered if she stood before the gates of Valhalla, negotiating entrance.

“Not yet,” he whispered before turning to Eir. “Give her the extract of an Idunnian Apple. If that fails,” he looked back through the window, “cease your efforts.”

“Your Majesty, you know I can not give the extract without consent. It could undo whatever the mutations were designed to create. Or suppress. It could kill her.” Loki’s glare silenced her protests. “Yes, my king.” 

Eir returned to the treatment room, speaking with one of the apprentices. Loki watched intently when the apprentice returned with a vial. The glowing golden fluid was carefully withdrawn and injected into an intravenous line dangling from their patient’s arm. 

Aleksa’s body began to shake violently. Healers attempted to hold her down until a strange cloud began filling the treatment area, sending the team running out. People scrambled around, trying to seal the room while Loki simply stood there, watching. Air purifiers whirred to life, sucking the smoke out of the room. Others gasped as Loki stepped even closer to the glass. 

“A terrigenesis cocoon?” He smiled. “There is great potential within you, indeed.” He turned to leave until an explosion shook the room. Looking back, he saw Aleksa sit up, the cocoon shattered around her. The wound on her chest closed before she toppled back over. Loki gestured to one of the apprentices. 

“Tell your mistress that I want a detailed report on our guest at her earliest opportunity. The,” he looked at Aleksa, “woman is to receive any and all treatments necessary. When she is ready, she is to be brought to me.” The apprentice nodded as Loki strode out of the suites, grinning wide.


	8. Awakenings

_Aromas of lavender and sage lulled Aleksa from her slumber. Laughing children outside her window told her it was afternoon, setting off a small spark of panic. She’d slept through another morning’s work and Modir would be furious. Aleksa stretched to shake off the last bits of sleep but winced when a sharp pain tore through her chest. She sat up slowly, pushing the furs aside to swing her legs over the side of the bed. Her fingers found the wrappings around her shoulder and chest, reminding her of the blade she took in defense of a lost child. She sighed, still lamenting the necessity to end a man’s life to protect an innocent._

_Unsteady steps took her into the main area of their little home. Modir stood before the fire, humming as she stirred the brew in larger cauldron. Aleksa smiled at the sight of her, forgetting her footing and bumping into a table._

_“Lítit minn, you should not be about!”_

_“I’m sorry, Modir. I overslept again.”_

_“Shhh, sit before you fall.” Modir pulled a chair from the table and led Aleksa to it. “I don’t mind you to sleep to heal, but I shall be most cross if you reopen that wound.” Modir began to fuss with the wrappings, checking the herbs packed beneath it. “You must learn not to draw your blade first, Aleksa. You are a healer, not a warrior.”_

_“But the child,” Aleksa bit her lip to mute her cry of pain._

_“Yes, Vidar told me of the child you saved. As did the child’s parents. You must visit them when you’re recovered.”_

_Aleksa sat silently for a moment, hovering between consciousness and sleep before speaking again._

_“It’s not safe here.”_

_Modir balked. “Not safe? You mean from Horgsholt? Child, your imagination is running away with you.”_

_“Asgard,” Aleksa grabbed the woman’s wrist, “I’m not safe here.”_

_“Asgard?” Modir’s brow furrowed as she touched her hand to Aleksa’s temple. “You’re burning with fever again. Come on, back to bed.”_

_Aleksa tried to struggle as Modir led her back into the bedroom but found her strength gone._

_“I have to escape,” she whispered as Modir pulled the furs back over her body while darkness descended. “Get back...to...home...”_

 

Two guards opened the doors to Loki’s study, nodding to Eir as she entered. Loki rose to her bow and strode around the table.

“After nearly three weeks, I was beginning to think you were not going to honor my request.” 

“This has been my earliest opportunity, your Majesty.” Eir’s voice stood firm to his implications. Loki considered her for a moment, then smiled.

“Sit, please, and tell me of our not Midgardian.” 

Eir placed a small device on the table and waved a hand over it. A holographic strand of genetic code appeared. 

“Our ‘not Midgardian’ is, for all intents and purposes, Asgardian. Over ninety percent of her DNA has transformed, thanks to the Idunnian extract. The remainder is human, with slight traces of Kree.”

“Idunnian extract doesn't cause that level to mutation,” Loki spoke softly, critically eyeing the woman across from him.

“As I mentioned, she is a unique case.” The image shifted into two strands of code. “Original evaluations indicated that the mix of Asgardian and Midgardian blood was closer to an equal balance with a stronger presence of Kree. I suspect, however, that the Kree markers were forcibly increased.”

“I wasn’t aware that Midgard was capable of that level of genetic manipulation.”

Eir nodded. “Neither was I. It seems they warrant closer monitoring in that respect. Though, in her case, the alterations were made easier by her inborn mutative abilities among other things.”

“Which would be?”

“Beyond the gifts of self-repair, increased metabolism, strength, and so on that come with her Asgardian blood, I’m not sure.”

Loki leaned closer to Eir. “Guess.”

“She’s Aesir.”

“A seider wielder,” he smiled. “Excellent. We’ll see to it that she’s properly trained in her talents as soon as she’s released.

“My king,” Eir hesitated, “there is another matter. One that may take precedence over her training.” 

“And that would be?” he growled. 

“She may not be aware of what, or who, she truly is.” Eir open and closed her mouth several times before she sighed, waving a hand over the projector. The golden strands of DNA morphed into a model of a brain, and Eir pointed to an area glowing more than the rest. “This is what concerns me. Cellular damage too specific in location to have been caused by a traumatic injury. I believe that she’d had some portion, if not all, of her memory wiped away.” 

Before Loki could question his chief healer any further, an apprentice burst through the doors. 

“Teacher!” she shouted, before stopping short. “Forgive me, your Majesty.”

“What is it? What’s happened?” Eir stood.

“The woman,” the apprentice panted, “she’s gone.”


	9. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're baaaaaaaccccckkkkk! Many thanks to everyone who waited patiently while I pulled off a miracle and finally graduated from university. I've never been so proud of a mediocre GPA in my life. But I digress...time to get on with the show:

Aleksa watched quietly as two guards moved along their patrol route, thankful that the back halls were monitored less frequently than the corridor she’d been led through from the dungeons. Accessing the ventilation systems was far easier than anticipated and the large conduits gave her quiet and unrestricted access to her goal. The waves of nausea that had plagued her since awakening had subsided, thanks in no small part to the bits of bread and meat she’d managed to pilfer from the kitchens. The pain was easing as well, a sure sign that her body was adjusting to whatever changes terragenesis had brought. She made a mental note to demand removal of the Kree implants when she got back. Provided, of course, that she was able to secure her objective.

It was close. She could sense the energy radiating off of it along with dozens of other objects suspected to be held in the vault. Perhaps something else would be of enough interest to the Council for her to buy her way out of her contract and vanish for good, maybe to some backwater third world country. Wakanda was nice, she’d heard.

A squad of soldiers arrived and drew her attention. They were more heavily armed than those standing watch over the vault, speaking in hushed tones. Aleksa was barely able to make out what was said but understood the implication.

_Time to go._

The larger patrol moved away, dividing themselves down different corridors as they traveled.

_Longer I’m here, the more complicated this gets,_ she thought, slinking down the shaft. _No one said Malik needed to know if or when I got back...there._

Just beneath her lay the inner vault. The hum of power was nearly deafening. All of Aleksa’s concentration became focused on suppressing the noise until she determined where her target was. Once located, she recalled an old mantra to drown out all sound and dropped into the room. Drawing a deep breath, she concentrated on the energy patterns of floor and walls, noting the changes in color and intensity until she was confident of where everything was: the doors, the guards on the other side, additional ventilation shafts and hidden rooms.

A lack of distinguishable security measures concerned her as she snuck along the floor, passing artifact after artifact. The concern was short lived as the doors to the vault swung wide, admitting Loki and a pack of guards hot on his heels. Aleksa swore under her breath, breaking into a full run to her destination. The glowing blue cube sat on its pedestal, mesmerizing her as she reached out to take it.

“Stop!” Loki shouted, Aleksa’s hand hovering over the cube. He approached slowly, followed by the guards, their weapons leveled on her. “You won’t survive if you touch that. You've no idea the power it holds.”

“Oh, really?” Aleksa smirked, looking at the cube and back at Loki, daring him to continue moving forward while she scanned the room again. None of the possible exits were going to be accessible from where she stood. The only option was behind her but there was no guarantee that there was an exit on the other side of the grating. “Better to burn out than to fade away,” she muttered and reached for the cube.

Before Loki could stop her, the soldiers behind him opened fire. An explosion of blinding blue light knocked them all to the floor. Slowly, he stood, trying to shake off the effects of the blast. Taking a cautious step forward in the rubble, he saw the woman laying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, the Tesseract glowing in her hand. He stopped as she rose, watching in awe while her eyes shifted from the same blue glow of the cube to gold to the hazel he’d seen when they met.

“Give me the Tesseract,” he cooed, “and no harm will come to you.”

Aleksa just stood there, her brain racing to keep up with the volumes of information being fed into it. She thought she heard Loki’s voice, but wasn’t sure she understood the words. The sound of rushing water caught her attention, spurring her to the newly formed opening in the vault wall. A river flowed below her, awakening memories of home. Loki stepped back when new strands of blue light began swirling between them. Aleksa’s eyes went wide, a sly grin crossing her face as the room disappeared behind a widening circle of blue and white. She watched in awe as light gave way to greens and browns. While the homes she’d known were gone, she was certain she was looking at her birthplace.

_A portal without a sling ring. Huh....why do I know that?_

Aleksa blinked and the portal started shrinking. When the circle closed, Loki was almost directly in front of her, his hand outstretched. “You can’t hope to control it. Give me the Tesseract and I’ll send you home.”

“Already got a ride, thanks.” She spun around and kicked him in the chest, sending him flying backward. “That’s twice,” she laughed.

Loki scrambled to his feet, watching her move to the other side of the hall only to launch herself through the open wall. When he saw her again, she was emerging on the bank opposite the palace, flipping the cube in her hand before taking off in a sprint across the plain. “I want her brought back alive,” he growled. He turned back to the guards, all staring in shock. “NOW!”

\-----

Aleksa was able to hide easily enough from the ships patrolling above her and the two ravens sent out from the palace now and again, but her progress was slowed by the sheer amount of energy she had to expend to shield the surges of power the Tesseract would put out. She felt sure that if she could sense it from a distance, so could Loki. She was hopeful that the proximity of the Rainbow Bridge and observatory housing the Bifrost was helping to mask it, but couldn’t risk being discovered. The more she felt her own energy draining, the more she concentrated on her memories of the rescue plan and made for the fields between her and the hidden portal.

The portal. There was no guarantee that it still functioned, that the intervals were still stable, or how long she’d have to wait for it to open. Even if it was operating as normal, she had no way to know who would be waiting on the other side, if anyone. There were just too many question marks for this escape route to work.

Another skiff roared over her head and she dropped to the ground. Perhaps commandeering one of those ships would prove a better option. Find a transport off Asgard and vanish into the universe. Surely, someone else would want Loki’s magic cube as badly as he did.

_Or..._

She grinned as she looked around and saw no signs of pursuers, then gently slid the Tesseract out of its pouch. It glowed brighter in her hand, sending a sensation of warmth through her body. Mesmerized by the changing light floating in front of her, she stared into the cube, imagining all of the places she could go. Her eyes fluttered closed as she relaxed, focusing on where in the universe she wanted to be. She held the Tesseract out in front of her and allowed the energy to surge through her, willing the portal into existence.

White light began to arc around the cube, sending sparks into the air. Aleka’s eyes opened as the portal widened, giving the faintest glimpse of the ocean stretching into the distance. Sand appeared next, then the familiar beach grass and fencing. She stood, stepping toward the portal while watching her home materialize in front of her. The shouts of soldiers distracted her, sending the portal to another location. When she turned back, Aleksa saw sands scorched black and structures smoldering in the distance.

“No! Nononononono!” she screamed, falling to the ground. The portal hissed shut when the Tesseract dropped from her hands and rolled into a boot. Aleksa looked up to see a large, heavily armored man towering above her.

“Back you go, dearie,” was the last thing she heard before the world went dark.


	10. The Dungeons Below

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look! An update! I'm terribly slow...I'm sorry. I'm getting used to life without homework and it's messing with my head. Anyway...a hat tip to @songsofgalifrey for always being willing to beta :)
> 
> Warning for language.

Loki suppressed a shudder upon entering the prison block. He was all too familiar with the cells, having spent far more time in them than he ever wanted to admit. Those who now occupied this prison were criminals, tried and convicted for their crimes. He never should have been held, much less beneath the palace. He had tried to save Asgard from the Jotunheim, and from his brother’s idiotic lust for war. That business on Midgard with the Chitari had not been his responsibility. Even if it had, Odin had no right...

He stopped himself mid-thought, refusing to allow the memory to progress. Things had been set right with Odin gone, Thor off-world, perhaps never to return, and Loki firmly ensconced on the throne of Asgard. Regardless of anything else the woman had done, she had secured his legitimate right to rule. And that alone was reason enough for keeping her alive. The other reasons he kept to himself, forgetting them when he finally reached her cell.

The woman sat with legs folded on the floor, her back against the wall. Her hands lay relaxed on her knees, palms turned upward as if to receive something. Loki stood with arms folded and watched her for some time, focusing on the slightest changes in her expression. He wasn’t sure if she was lost in a vision or simply dreaming, but her brow remained furrowed while her lips moved in silent speech. Just as he decided to leave, her eyes blinked open and bore straight through him.

“What?

“Hardly a complimentary greeting, Midgardian.”

“If it’s a compliment you’re after, maybe you should visit your harem.”

Loki smirked. “We do not practice such archaic beliefs here.”

“Sounds like a personal problem.”

“I would think,” he said, approaching her cell, “that you would be more appreciative of the one who saved your life.”

“You’d think,” she responded absently, standing in a swift motion. “But you’re technically not the one who saved me, are you?”

Loki stood silent.

“Figured as much. So the question remains: what?”

“Are you attempting to ask what it is that I desire by visiting you here? Or, perhaps, do you mean to inquire of the time?” Aleksa rolled her eyes. “There are so many possible variants of questions beginning with ‘what, I couldn’t possibly list them all.” He leaned toward her. “You wouldn’t live that long.”

“Except for the part where you told your people to inject me with whatever happy juice it is that makes you immortal-ish. So by all means, ramble away. I appear to have plenty of time.”

Loki’s brow quirked.

“What is your name?”

“You haven’t figured that out already? You’re losing your touch.” she scoffed.

“You proceed from the assumption that I haven’t. Besides, I thought Midgardian soldiers were trained to recite their name and identifying number over and over when questioned. No matter. The data found on your dog tags has proven quite useful.” Aleksa’s hand instinctively went to her neck, searching for a chain that wasn’t there. “Petterson is quite the surname. Perhaps I should just call you ‘pet’.”  

“Only if you have a death wish,” she growled, stepping closer to the force field.

“Pet, it is, then.” Her jaw clenched. “And there will come a time that your little excursions will wear my patience thin.”

“Stop chasing me and it won’t be a problem anymore. Besides, seems to me that your guards need a little exercise now and again.”

“Now and again?” he scoffed. “Are you aware that you’ve attempted seventeen escapes in the three months?”

“Is that all?” Her voice grew distant. “I need to step up my game.”

“Your game? Seems a shame to waste such extraordinary talents on a... game.”

“But you’d have me play yours.”

“This is no game, pet.”

Aleksa growled. “Then what is it, Jotun?”

Loki ignored the insult and grinned, satisfied that he was wearing her down. “Opportunity.”

“For what?”

“Well, that remains to be seen, doesn’t it? You are obviously capable of self-healing, a warrior of considerable expertise, and I admit to being quite intrigued by your, “ he paused, “handling of the Tesseract. Certainly, there are other - talents - that remain hidden.”

She approached him, stopping just short of barrier between them. “All in service of Asgard, no doubt.” Her voice sultry, she added, “Or did you have something more personal in mind?”

Loki was suddenly aware of the difference in height between them as he looked down at her, trying to ignore the sight line straight to her cleavage. “I’m sure we could come to some sort of an arrangement.”

“Fuck off.”

"Why unleash your hatred on me? Was it not your beloved SHIELD that sent you here to fetch those poor, lost academics? And was it not your decision to challenge me to duel in exchange for their lives?”

“Just like it’s your decision to keep chasing me every time I escape.” She spun and walked away, sliding back down to the floor. “Maybe you should find a hobby.”

“Oh, I’ve already found one.” Aleksa rolled her eyes. “And it’s proving most entertaining.”

“I repeat,” she said with a sigh, “fuck off.” Aleksa glared at the sarcastic smile creeping across his face, then decided to disengage. He wanted her attention and she decided to withhold it.

“You can’t ignore me forever, pet.” Loki stared at her, noting the timing of the rise and fall of her chest. His mind wandered to the flesh beneath the tunic, what it might feel like against his own skin. He pulled himself back into the moment. “It would be a shame to see a creature of your considerable abilities left down here to rot, but, if that is what you wish...”

With no response, Loki sighed, turned and made his way to the corridor.

“Oh,” he paused, speaking over his shoulder, “thank you for not instigating another riot on your last escape. It made finding you much easier.”

He heard the slightest change in the hum of the force fields surrounding the cell followed by something hard hitting him in the back of the head. He spun to find her still seated. The cup that had been in the cell with her now lay on the floor next to his feet. He picked it up, then looked back at her.  She was watching him, her facial features relaxed, almost inviting him to react. He only grinned and resumed his journey out of the prison. 


	11. Easier to Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No real notes for this....hat tip to @fandom-and-feminism for the willingness to beta when my brain shuts down :)

Loki emerged the en suite as he pulled the tunic over his wet hair. There was no evidence of the maiden that had warmed his bed not twenty minutes prior. Despite the release he’d found in her arms, he still wasn’t able to relax. Continued rumors of traitors in the council, coupled with growing tensions with Alfheim, weighed on him more each day. On top of it all was the distant voice of the Other haunting his dreams.

A soft knock yielded a scullery maid delivering his nightly tea. He nodded and she quickly departed, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Long fingers wrapped around the handle of the teapot, tilting it to pour the herbal blend. The cup rattled softly, giving Loki pause. A deep breath brought another attempt to pour that ended with papers and books falling across the room.

“What the Hel?” he mumbled.

The entire palace suddenly shook. Sirens wailed their alert, drowning out the panicked cries of servants and guards in the halls. Loki entered the corridors, the last bits of his armor shimmering into existence.

“Skurge!” he shouted over the din. The burly man met him near a staircase, dodging people as they moved to the side. “What’s going on?”

“Not sure,” Skurge panted, “but it’s coming from the substructure.”

_The woman. If this another escape..._

“Gather a squad of Einherjar and have them meet me at the dungeon entrance.” Loki barked, slamming into a column with another tremor. “And ensure that the palace is completely evacuated!” Skurge nodded and began a sprint in the opposite direction of his master.

Guards met Loki’s detachment en route to the dungeons, advising them to make for the vault. The woman’s cell was empty, they’d said, and that a hole into the ventilation system had been created. Loki cursed himself for not securing the Tesseract in another location and led the group to their destination.

Energy came in waves from the vault, nearly knocking them to the floor. Loki could hear the structure groaning around them as the waves passed through the palace, and found himself wondering if he should order an evacuation of the surrounding city.

The vault lay open, doors blown wide. Cautiously, he stepped inside and choked when he saw what was happening. One of the vault’s guards lay on the floor, the other on his knees to one side of the massive portal swirling in the center of the room. The woman held his head inches from the edge in one hand, screaming at him in a language Loki couldn’t immediately identify. Her free hand was directed at the Tesseract lying on the floor, golden seider moving between them. Summoning all the authority he could find, Loki moved down the staircase.

“And what do we have here?”

Aleksa’s head angled slightly before turning to look over her shoulder, a sinister smirk crossing her face. She shifted slowly to face him, releasing her grip on the guard just long enough for him to attempt to flee. Seider continued to flow from her body into the Tesseract as she clamped down on the guard’s collar, pulling him back to her side.

“Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up.” She leaned down to the struggling man, her voice taking a demonic tone. “Looks like the cavalry’s here, but somehow, I don’t think you’re the one Fury’s picking up, little _spay_.”

“Fury?” he whispered, confused.

Another energy wave pulsed from the Tesseract, causing everyone in the room to stagger. The woman’s slow return to her feet gave Loki an opportunity to see the location on the other side of the portal. The desert he’d seen before the woman’s escape blazed behind her, the blinding white sands a stark contrast to the black earth closest to the portal’s edge.

_A desert,_ he thought. _Fury reported picking her up in a desert with scorched sand. That she’d..._

“She’s hallucinating.” he mumbled, a plan already forming in his mind as he signaled the guards to stay behind him as he moved forward.

“What’d you think you’re doing, Colonel?”  

“What does it look like, Nick? I’m interrogating the prisoner.” She growled, squeezing the guard’s neck, eliciting a pained howl.

“We talked about this, Lex.” Loki stepped a bit closer, replaying the conversation he’d read about months ago in his head. “You find the cube, I ask the questions.”

“Problem is, I don’t work for you anymore. But don’t worry. This little bastard is singing like a canary.” She leaned down, kissing the top of the guard’s head before pushing him to the floor.

“If you’re not working for me, who are you working for?”

Mock confusion crossed her face. “Same guy you are, Nick. Gideon Malick.”

“I don’t answer to him, Lex. Neither do you.”

Aleksa’s laugh bellowed through the vault in time with an energy pulse. Loki could hear power generators begin to shut down above them. “C’mon, Nick. We both know he’s head of the Council. And I know he’s playing both sides.” She ground her heel into the guard’s back. “Isn’t he, _spay_?”

Remnants of a burned-out village came into view through the growing portal. Loki knew if he didn’t separate her from the Tesseract, the portal would tear the palace apart. Even if it didn’t, she might.

“I know. Just like I know these aren’t your run of the mill terrorists,” he gestured to the guards. “And I know this isn’t who you really are.”

Aleksa balked. “Then what am I, Director? Hmm? A good soldier? An honorable warrior?” She snarled. “ _A healer?"_

“Yes.” Loki was close enough to touch her and began to maneuver himself between her and the Tesseract. “You’re all of those things, Aleksa. You’re not a cold-blooded killer. You won’t slaughter innocents...”

“Innocents?” she screamed. “These soulless bastards,” she gestured to the guard on the floor, “aren’t innocent! The men in this camp weren’t innocent. And the villagers? The ones who harbored these animals. Fed them, clothed them, watched them slaughter my team one by one, watched them cut their...” she faltered, the white light from the portal reflecting in the tears running down her face. “They are. Not. Innocent. No one is. Especially you.”

“You’re right.” Fury’s voice fell evenly from Loki’s lips. “But you’re better than this. Let us take care of this one.” He reached out one hand while trying to send the Tesseract into a pocket dimension. “Let me take you home.”

Her features softened and, for one brief moment, Loki thought he’d gotten through to her. Her eyes turned dark and the sinister smile returned.

“We both know I’m going to die here. And you will too.”

Aleksa lunged at him, falling through the illusion to the floor. She rolled to her feet in time to see the Tesseract vanish above his hand. She howled and scrambled for the rapidly closing portal. Loki dove for her, knocking her back to the floor. She struggled against him, screaming incoherently between languages, begging to be released. A few moments passed after the portal closed before she stilled.

Loki backed away, cautiously waving the Einherjar in to retrieve their comrades and secure the palace. The remaining guards surrounded Aleksa with weapons at the ready. Loki knelt in front of where she sat on the floor.

“Colonel?”

Aleksa didn’t respond. She just stared at the spot where the portal had been, whispering incoherently. Just as he began to rise, she spoke in a voice that sparked both sorrow and fear in his heart.

“Kill me.”


	12. Someone Else?

Raised voices echoed down the halls from the council room. Lord D’Varst was naturally the loudest among them, once again attempting to assert his dominance over the others by volume alone. Loki paused just outside the open doors, listening to the old ambassador bluster about how he’d handle things if he were in control. The blatant disrespect never ceased to amaze Loki and made him wonder why Odin trusted the old man so much. He waited another few moments before entering the room with a flourish. 

“I see you’ve begun the meeting without me,” he monotoned. “Again.”

“If your Majesty would care to pay closer attention to the time,” D’Varst sneered, plopping down in his usual spot. The others bowed as Loki passed, taking their seats after him.

“Yours is not the only council I have to attend to, my lord. What, precisely, has you enraged now?”

“You know, precisely, what has me enraged...”

“As does half of Asgard.”

Others around the table chuckled while D’Varst fumed. “If you had any respect for the mantle you wear, you would not...”

“And just how do you demonstrate your respect for your king, hmm?” Loki snapped. “You have done nothing but contradict and condemn every word that’s come out of my mouth since I accepted the throne. Odin would have you executed for the level of disrespect you’ve shown me, had it been him! So,  _ my lord _ , perhaps you should better respect the mantle I wear.” A slow exhale followed as the council members blanched. “Now, on to other matters.”

A softer voice spoke from the end of the table. “Your Majesty, we are understandably concerned about the human that remains your prisoner. Surely, you are aware that she poses a threat to the security of this realm? And, to your Majesty’s person.”

“I am, Gefn. But, like all those who are just coming into their Seider, the threat can be mitigated with the proper training.”

“With respect, Majesty, she is not a child that is simply unaware of her gifts. She is a human woman that has demonstrated a willingness to do whatever she must to achieve her goals. Goals that may or may not involve your death.”

“She is not human.” Loki corrected. “How she came to be a resident of Midgard is still a mystery, but she is of Asgard. That much is certain. And, she is of the utmost importance to the security of all the Nine Realms. I will not see her destroyed when she could become our greatest asset.”

“You mean your greatest conquest,” D’Varst mumbled.

Before Loki could respond, Enji spoke. “Ladies and gentlemen, I would remind you all that Asgard has flourished under his Majesty’s rule, and that our relations with other realms, while tenuous, are greatly improved. So I am confident that our King has considered all pertinent factors in the matter of this...woman.” Loki nodded in Enji’s direction. “However, I share your concerns. And, with your Majesty’s indulgence, I would pose another question.”

“Being?”

“What is to become of her if she refuses to receive training in the use of her seider? Surely she can’t be released unless she agrees to remain on Asgard. And if that happens, what is to keep her loyal to us? I’m told the military group she once worked for is notorious for demanding an unwavering allegiance to their country. She may see this as an opportunity to bring Asgard down in retaliation for,” Enji’s voice caught in his throat. The stare coming from the end of the table bore into him. “For New York, your Majesty.”

Loki’s gaze focused elsewhere, memories of Thanos’ torture rising to the surface.  _ It wasn’t my fault... _ Aware that the entire table was staring at him, he cleared his throat, steepling his fingers as he pondered Aleksa’s fate should she refuse. His response came in slow, measured words.

“My lords. My ladies. I believe the incident in the vault to be strongly impacted by the effects of the Tesseract on the mind. Prior to that, the woman’s goals had been merely to escape, with the Tesseract, if possible. If her intentions toward us, or Asgard, had been malicious, I believe she would have caused catastrophic damage to this palace and the surrounding city. As that was not the case, I don’t see her as an active threat against us. However,” he paused as D’Varst wound up for a protest, “if she should refuse our offer of guidance in the use of her abilities, I will sign the order for her execution.”

“I believe this to be an acceptable plan. Is there dissent among this council for His Majesty’s proposal?” Gefn proposed. All eyes moved to the silently chafing D’Varst, waiting for the outburst that never came. “Thank you, my King, for your wisdom and understanding.”

Loki nodded, wondering how he’d convince the woman not to refuse.

Far below the council chambers, Aleksa sat against the wall of her cell, fingers brushing against the golden field that kept her inside. The tiny surges slowed her racing heart and eased her pounding head, helping her to focus on the calming techniques she’d learned ages ago. She didn’t dare sleep for fear of the terrors it would bring. Instead, she meditated on relaxing individual parts of her body, starting with her toes and working upward to the top of her head. Her eyes fluttered closed only to fly open again at the slightest noise, ruining the meditation and forcing her to begin again.

The other prisoners had long since given up their taunting. She’d been brought to this new cell screaming hysterically and barely aware of where she really was. Far from her fellow captives and ventilation systems, she’d begged for death a thousand times, throwing herself against the force field only to be knocked unconscious. Enemies of Asgard laughed and jeered at her weakness until they grew bored of her cries. A few even encouraged the guards to kill her so they could sleep. None dared approach her, however, They feared her more than the nobles arguing her fate above.

Aleksa began the cycle again, taking a bit of energy from the force field while she willed the tension in her feet to release. The smell of burnt flesh caught her nose as her eyes finally drifted closed.

_ The Crusaders had been thorough. Every statue, every mural, every indication of devotion to the old gods had been destroyed. These followers of the “prince of peace” weren’t willing to listen to the storykeepers, the librarians who knew that icons were just as much based in history as they were faith. Nothing was left of their culture now, except memories that would fade into legend. _

_ Aleksa walked through the smoldering ruins of the village, stopping at every body on the ground to see if they survived the massacre. Those few that had had already been hauled off by soldiers, tossed into carts so they could be taken to priests to “heal” them. She prayed that they would be welcomed into Valhalla regardless of any oaths made to end the misery. _

_ When she finally arrived at her home on the cliff, Aleksa collapsed. Only timbers remained of the cottage she’d shared with Modir for a century. The rest had been reduced to ash, blown into the sea raging against the rocks far below. Her mourning turned to thoughts of her mother and mentor. _

_ Modir had been taken as she attempted to heal the wounded. Aleksa heard her screams but couldn’t reach the old woman in time. She could only watch as the woman who’d raised her was loaded into a carriage and taken away. Aleksa finished off the soldiers that dared to remain in a frenzy of fury and sorrow, tapping into power she’d long forgotten she possessed. _

_ The rains began as Aleksa made her way to the caverns at the base of the cliff. Deep within the maze of rock, she lit a tiny fire to warm herself and dry her clothes while she healed. Modir would demand she sleep if she were there, but Aleksa couldn’t bring herself to close her eyes. Instead, she meditated on the memories she’d plucked from the minds of soldiers as they died at her hands. Camp locations, plans for the survivors, even their regret at ending innocent lives. A plan to rescue them began to form as she stared at the small chest across the cave. _

_ “No, child.” Modir’s voice whispered. “Do not sacrifice yourself to save lives that have already ended. I will soon join them, condemned as a witch.” _

_ “Then I shall meet you in Valhalla.” _

_ “Stubborn to the last. Have you forgotten your oath to me, to the child I bore?” Aleksa sighed in protest. “No? Good.” _

_ “I can’t let you burn,” Aleksa whispered. The warmth of Modir’s arms wrapped around her. _

_ “Only my body will burn, little one, and the smoke will carry me to the ancestors. There will be no pain. You will be the last of the Exiled of Asgard.” Aleksa closed her eyes, allowing tears to fall again as Modir’s presence faded. “Never forget who and what you are.” _

Loki watched Aleksa in rapt fascination as she sat in meditation, faint images glowing above her hands while tears rolled down her face. He desperately wanted to tap into her mind, to see what she saw. He stiffened when the images dissolved and her eyes opened. She stared through him for a moment before speaking.

“What?”

“I must admit, it is good to see you...calmer, Colonel.”

“Do me a favor,” she blew out an exasperated sigh. “Don’t call me that.”

Loki was taken aback. He feared that the Tesseract had caused more harm than he’d previously thought. The woman watched him closely as he considered his next words.

“As you wish, Aleksa.”


	13. An Invitation

_ “Do me a favor,” she blew out an exasperated sigh. “Don’t call me that.” _

_ Loki was taken aback. He feared that the Tesseract had caused more harm than he’d previously thought. The woman watched him closely as he considered his next words.  _

_ “As you wish... Aleksa.” _

Aleksa relaxed a little, fighting the instinct to wipe away the tears drying on her face. If he’d been watching her for any period of time, it was too late to try and hide what she was going through. His expression was almost sympathetic towards her, and she found it both oddly comforting and slightly unnerving. 

“What brings you to the dungeons this time? Come to deliver my execution order personally?”

Loki’s brow furrowed. “Why do the gifted so frequently crave death? Surely there is a great deal of good you can yet do in this world.”

“Doubtful.” She leaned forward. “And you didn’t answer my question.”

“Hmm.” Loki thought quietly for a moment, then smiled. “I have a proposition for you...”

“No.”

He cocked his head to one side and continued. “Answers for answers. We both want information, and I feel confident that we can come to some sort of arrangement once all queries are resolved. If, at the conclusion of our interview, you still feel as if death is your only option,” his sigh a little more dramatic than it needed to be, “then I shall give you what you seek. I will even see your remains returned to Midgard, should that be your desire.” 

“Why don’t we just skip to the end?”

“You may find a life in Asgard more desirable than an eternity in Hel. And really, what have you to lose? Except, perhaps, time spent in the underworld.”

Aleksa narrowed her eyes. Fingertips brushed the force field again, pulling in the energy she needed to focus. The movement didn’t go unnoticed. 

“I can help you regain the control you need in order to sever your dependence on outside assistance.” Aleksa looked up at him. “Give me a chance, little one.” 

“Little one?” she smirked. “Somehow, I have a feeling I’m older than you.” 

Loki’s eyebrow quirked. A wry grin crossed his face. “If you are, my dear, it can’t be by more than a few years. A moment, really.”

Aleksa leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. She cursed herself for allowing Loki to pique her curiosity, especially since he was not known to favor compassion over chaos.

_ What’s normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.  _ She huffed.  _ Thanks, Morticia.  _

Aleksa wished for her house on the shore and the calm normal it offered. But, her last contact with the cube had created questions she needed answers to, answers that wouldn’t be found on Earth. 

Loki was still standing in the same spot when she opened her eyes. 

“Are you aware of how fucking creepy it is that you’re just standing there, staring at me?”

“I’ve been called a great many things,” he laughed, “but I believe you are the first to use the term ‘creepy’.”

“First time for everything.”

“Indeed. Do we have a bargain?”

A slow breath came before her answer. “I’ll think about it.”

“Excellent!” Loki clapped his hands together. “I will send the guards down later this evening to fetch you. I know we both don’t wish to have yet another discussion here.”

“That  _ is _ not what I sai...”

“And I’ll arrange for more comfortable accommodations.”

“Loki!”

“No no, no need to thank me. I will see you at dinner.” 

He spun on heel and walked up the stairs, vanishing before Aleksa could even get to her feet. A thud signaled the closure of heavy doors above.

“Dammit, Loki.” She muttered, plopping back on the floor. “This is such a bad idea.”

\---

Loki looked out over the city, watching the skies shift into the purples of sunset. He did his best to ignore the commotion behind him as the servants moved a small table and chairs into his private library for the impromptu meal. He often took his meals in the library, preferring to avoid the formal space whenever possible. The dining room held too many memories of eating with Odin and Thor bickering over whatever happened to annoy them that day. It was usually Loki. 

Eventually, he simply stopped going. Frigga would sometimes decide to join him in this room, engaging him in discussions about his studies or seider training. She would ask him to tell her stories after dessert, always laughing as he spun outrageous tales, complete with animated illusions of the characters. 

A soft smile emerged at the memory. Thoughts of the woman who raised him warmed his cold heart and soothed his aching spirit. His first commission upon taking the throne was a statue of Frigga that took its place in her favorite garden, turned toward the horizon so that she would always face the light. 

“Majesty?” The deep, scratchy voice of the valet broke Loki’s reverie. “Everything is prepared.”

“And my guest?”

“The Einherjar are on the way with her now.”

Loki nodded. He moved to the table, inspecting the meal. A touch of nervous energy began to creep into his mind, and he dismissed it immediately. This woman was his prisoner, regardless of what she could or couldn’t do, and he was the King of Asgard. Still, it had been some time since he’d actually shared a meal with anyone that interested him. And Aleksa definitely interested him. 

The clanking of metal on the stone floor announced the arrival of his guest before the doors ever opened. He imagined what she’d look like in chains, barely clothed and submissive before him. Clicking latches brought him back to reality and Loki turned to the opening doors. The sneer crossing his face stopped. 

Aleksa walked at the center on the Einherjar, collared and chained as he had once been. She carried the same strength in her step as when they first met, but her face was pale, circles showing faintly around the darkened eyes that locked onto his. A chill ran down his spine when he looked down and noticed the glowing runes on the collar and shackles at her wrists. His mind raced with possibilities until he realized that the group had stopped moving. 

“Welcome, my dear. I’m so glad you decided to join me.”

“Wasn’t really my decision,” Aleksa smirked but her voice hinted at something else. 

“You had every opportunity to decline, pet, and yet here you are.”

“Two things,” she growled. “One, bullshit. And two, don’t call me that.”

“Why not? You look every bit the part of a disobedient little pet.”

“Because I’m not a fucking animal.”

“Oh, I think you are.” He moved closer to her, their faces inches apart. “I’ve read your military file, seen the footage.”

“And you think that’s all there is to me?”

“Of course not.” He stepped back and smiled. “That’s why you’re still alive.”

“Yay me.”

“Indeed.” Loki walked to the table, pulling out a chair for her to sit. “My...lady.”

“Somehow I don’t think that’s gonna work in my current state.” The last word came as a groan while the runes glowed brighter for a moment. 

“Darling, the more you fight the spells cast on those restraints, the stronger the magic becomes.”

“Don’t suppose you’d be willing to take them off?”

“This was an exercise in trust, not stupidity, my dear. I would have no guarantee that you won’t attempt yet another escape. Or to kill me.”

“What makes you think I won’t despite the chains?”

Loki studied her for a moment before responding. “You’re in too much pain, I assume, from the suppression runes. Otherwise, you’d already be gone.” Confusion flashed in Aleksa’s eyes. “I offer you a bargain. I will release you from these restraints in exchange for your word not to flee or attack me.” 

“And this isn’t an exercise in stupidity,” she scoffed.

“I can hear it in your voice, little one. The pain is growing more severe with each moment that passes. Put away your pride and allow me to give you some relief.” 

Aleksa looked at him with suspicious eyes. The pain was becoming unbearable as she fought to regulate the power building up within her. Whatever magic he’d put on the shackles had rendered her completely incapable of cycling energy in and out of her body. She knew there wasn’t much time left before a release came one way or another. 

“No tricks, and,” she let out a long slow breath, “I reserve the right to defend myself if necessary.”

“No tricks,” Loki repeated. “As stated before, all I want is dinner and a conversation with you. Whatever occurs afterward is entirely your decision.”

Aleksa’s eyes met his. “Again, bullshit.”

He smiled. “Be that as it may, the question remains: do you trust me enough to allow me to assist?”

The runes brightened again and Aleksa audibly groaned. 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” she sighed before nodding. Loki waved his hand slowly, removing the spell layer by layer. The color gradually returned to Aleksa’s face while he nodded to the guards, who removed all but the restraints around her wrists. He dismissed them silently and waited for her to speak.

“They missed one,” she mumbled, her voice still shaky as she lifted her arms.

“Hmm, so they did.” 

Aleksa took a defensive stance as he approached, reaching for her hands. She watched closely while the cuffs around her wrists shrank into two thin cuff bracelets in the shape of snakes, the inscribed runes glowing one last time before vanishing into the metal.

“There,” he purred, kissing her hand, his eyes locked with hers. “Much improved, don’t you think?” 

“What I think,” she withdrew her hand from his, “is that I’m going to regret this.”

  
_ Not as much as I’m going to enjoy it.  _ Loki smiled broadly, gesturing to her chair. Aleksa’s eyes narrowed before finally moving to the seat. 


	14. Dinner and a Show

Loki pushed Aleksa’s chair in before seating himself. A servant appeared from the shadows, pouring mead into golden goblets.

“Thank you,” Aleksa said softly, bringing shocked looks from the servant and Loki. “What?” The servant struggled for an answer before looking to his master, who dismissed him with a wave after his own cup was filled. “Seriously? You don’t acknowledge the people that are working for you? I thought Asgard was sooooo much more enlightened than that. Do you even know their names?”

“Those that serve in this palace are to be neither seen nor heard. It is honor enough for them to be selected for a position on the staff and...” 

“Bloody hell.” She stood and moved to the servant. “What’s your name?” 

The wine steward was paralyzed in fear. His gaze shot to Loki and Aleksa stepped to block it. “I...uh...Beiner, madam.”

Aleksa turned to the maid standing next to him. “And yours?"

“I-Ingun, my lady.”

“Ingun. Beiner. Thank you both. Your work is appreciated,” she glared at Loki, “even if that appreciation is never expressed.” The servants shot each other looks of awe as Aleksa resumed her seat, muttering. “How in the hells do you expect to have the respect of your people if you can’t even acknowledge their existence? You’re no better than they are.”

Loki searched for the proper response. Odin all but forbade communication with the servants unless it was absolutely necessary, and even then he spoke with the same venom he afforded his adopted son. Loki never considered any other behavior towards the staff possible, much less appropriate.

“Perhaps it is a tradition that bears updating,” was all he could come up with.

Aleksa rolled her eyes and turned her focus to the plate before her. The platter was filled with several small slices of meats and cheeses, vegetables, and a chunk of bread. Other dishes on the tables held more of the same, accompanied by various fruits and loaves. The thought of devouring everything in front of her crossed her mind, followed by a wave of nausea that reminded her of her restricted abilities. Despite her hunger, she’d have to take it slowly or risk leaving a mess for Beiner and Ingun to clean up later. 

Loki had already begun to eat, albeit cautiously. This early exchange of power, or so it seemed to him, appeared out of nowhere and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Or of the woman sitting across from him. She seemed to be evaluating the food set before her. Was she considering the possibility of poison, or perhaps mind-altering drugs? He felt compelled to take his bites intentionally as if to convince her that the food was safe until her pace slowed to a stop.

“Is the meal not to your liking?”

“Hmm?"

“You’ve barely touched your plate. If the food is not satisfactory, I can...”

“It’s fine,” she snapped, dropping her fork onto the plate. She pinched the bridge of her nose before blowing out a sharp breath. “I...I’m sorry. There’s nothing wrong with the food.”

“The company, perhaps?”  Loki spoke so softly that Aleksa barely heard him. 

“I’ve had worse.” She leaned back, rubbing the skin beneath the bracelets. “I’m still...adjusting to these.”

“Perhaps, in time, the need for those will be eliminated.” He resumed his meal, aware of her gaze focused on him.

“What, exactly, do you plan to do with me?”

“Are we beginning our interview?” Loki paused to take a drink. “I’ve not yet established my terms.” Aleksa groaned in response. “Don’t worry. You may find that my terms are as much to your benefit as they are to mine.”

“And it’s always about your benefit, isn’t it?”

“It is good to be the king,” he grinned. “No question should be asked before the one prior is answered to the asker’s satisfaction.”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re never going to be satisfied with any of my answers.”

Loki chuckled. “Satisfaction is not in my nature, pet.”

“I won’t tell you again,” she growled, a hand moving toward the knife. “Don’t call me that.”

“No promises.” The glare he received was strangely arousing. “ We will continue until all questions are answered or we’ve exhausted ourselves for the evening.  Have you any ground rules for our discussion?”

“I would say no lying, but I don’t suppose I have any real way to tell if you’re trying to deceive me or not.”

“Allow me to offer a gesture of good faith, then.” Loki produced her dog tags and placed them on the table.  "Oh," he added, tossing a trio of tiny vials in her direction, "these are also yours. Whyever would you consciously choose to carry Kree blood within you?"

She reached for the tags, sliding the chain around her neck before picking up a vial. Memories of their implantation tore through her consciousness, her own screams echoing in her ears. The burning sensations that consumed her body returned, accompanied by the smell of turmeric that somehow permeated the first terrigenesis cocoon. It lasted for months, leaving her a near zombie when she finally emerged. Everything hurt, even the energy she relied on. It was only the beginning of her torture.

Aleksa became aware of Loki’s gaze steady upon her, the concern it held living somewhere between compassion and fear. 

"I didn’t,” she whispered. “Where did you find them?”

“One was positioned near your heart. The other two on either side of your spine at the base of your skull. A kill switch for an errant pet, I presume.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” She slammed the knife blade into the table, millimeters from Loki’s hand. He only raised an eyebrow. “Use that word again and we’re done.”

His eyes moved slowly from the blade to her face, surprised by the calm he found there. “As you wish,” he whispered. “For now.” Aleksa returned to her seat. “Are we agreed?”

“Fine.” She nodded, mindlessly massaging her wrists. “You first, I assume.”

“Indeed.” Loki reached for his cup, drinking slowly as he considered his words. She began to absently pick at the plate in front of her, and something tore at his heart. “Actually, no. You posed a question that I failed to answer.” Aleksa looked up from her food. “What, exactly, do I plan to do with you?”

She watched him take another drink when he paused, waiting for her reaction. “Well?”

“I’ve not yet made a full decision.” She started to respond when he held up a hand. “What I have determined is that you will be brought out of the dungeons and given rooms here. You will begin training with our Seider masters to regain control over your abilities and learn their proper usage. I am considering allowing you to engage in other activities, but for now, this seems enough.”

Aleksa bit back the instinct to question further. He’d given more information than she expected but not everything she wanted, and she knew he was holding back. By the same token, she was desperate to keep him distracted as she worked to decipher the energies that kept her power in check.

“Are you satisfied with the answer?”

She met his gaze. Was there...hope in his eyes? “It’ll do.”

“Very well. Why were you sent to retrieve the Tesseract?”

“You don’t waste any time, do you?” She swallowed hard, garnering a glare from him. “I suppose ‘it’s classified’ would be enough of an answer?”

The glare darkened. “No.”

“Of course not.” The sigh that escaped her lips stopped Loki’s continued protest. “I had multiple sets of orders. Rescue the team and their research if possible. They were the priority.”

“We’ve already discussed this.” His tone matched his eyes. “And you’re not holding up your end of the bargain.”

“Then let me finish.” she snapped. “Get the team and their data were my orders from SHIELD. The order to get the cube came from someone else.”

“Not Fury? Curious. Who was it?” He leaned closer, growling. “Who?”

“Gideon Malick.”

Loki laughed. “Do you think me so stupid as to not know the players on that pathetic little planet? Malick is the Director of the World Security Council. He gives Fury...”

“Oh shut up!” she shouted, the force knocking over the goblets on the table. “You don’t know nearly as much as you think you do, your Highness. Malick comes from a long line of HYDRA worshippers. Last I heard, he was their undisputed leader. He’s playing both sides.”

“And so were you, it seems.”

“I know where my loyalties lie.” She sighed again, feeling the power in her body a bit closer to balance. “So does Nick.”

“And Malick?”

“He’s not interested in loyalty.” She toyed with the vial closest to her, speaking absently. “All he wants is power. The more, the better.”

“The Tesseract.” She nodded, trading the vial for a piece of fruit. Loki leaned back in his seat, arching his fingers in contemplation. It seemed that Midgard was going to continue to provide a bit of entertainment for some time. As was the woman across from him.

Aleksa chewed slowly, staring at the vials on the table, losing herself in memory.

_ “It’s not permanent, Colonel. Merely an insurance policy. You bring back the cube, I remove the vials. An easy mission for someone of your unique talents.” _

_ “And if I fail?” _

_ “You’ll go out in a blaze of glory, preferably on Asgard.” The sinister grin sickened her. “Or your heart will explode in your chest. Either way, you’ll be just another soldier lost to PTSD.” _

“Not before I kill you.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Wha-” She blinked, finding Loki’s wide eyes fixed on her glowing hand. “Fuck,” she whispered, forcing the power to dissipate into the air. “Why do you do that?”

“I didn’t.”

“I meant screwing with my head. Why plant memories, trigger...this?”

“I had nothing to do with whatever you just experienced,” he pointed to her hand.

“Gods dammit Loki, what in the hells have you done to me?” 

“Nothing.” Her chair went flying as she leaped up, leaning over the table. “While it is within my abilities to trigger flashes of a particular experience, I do not possess the power to generate and implant full recollections. So this is decidedly not my doing.” He spoke softly, hoping to defuse her frustration. “My guess is that you are experiencing the restoration of your own memories as your mind continues to heal. Whether this comes from your exposure to the Tesseract or something else, I can’t say.”

“Now I know you’re lying.”

“I know what it is to have your thoughts bent and twisted to someone else’s will.” He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly to calm his own nerves, wondering if he’d overestimated his ability to control her. “I am capable of a great many things, but I would never inflict that experience on another creature.” Their eyes locked, giving him pause. “Ever.”

Her head dropped as he rose, lifting the chair back to its original position. Loki stood next to her, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest, scarcely able to hear her whispers about fear passing through her. He barely touched her back when she spoke.

“I’m fine.” Low, even, and a little forced. 

“Now who’s lying?” She straightened herself, looking at him with a smirk, and a soft smile crossed his face. “Do you wish to continue, or would you like to end our interview for the evening?”

Aleksa’s mouth opened to reply but closed without a sound and a shake of her head. “Yeah, I don’t have the mental capacity necessary to keep up with you at the moment.”

“Then we will continue another time. One of the servants will see you to the guest chambers for the evening.” His speech was cut off by a loud growl originating in Aleksa’s stomach. “Along with something more to eat.”

Her face turned sheepish. “Thanks.”  

“Rest well, little one. Your training will begin in the morning.”

She followed Ingun to the door, stopping just short of it to turn and face him. “I do have one question I’d like to have answered now.”

“Which is?”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were showing compassion towards a prisoner. Why?”

Loki approached slowly, sliding his hands behind his back. “Because you are my guest, not a prisoner. I much prefer to think of you as a potential ally. And,” he hesitated for a moment, noticing a few strands of silver mixed into her red hair, “I always take care of my allies.”

They stared at one another for a moment, each trying to read the other. Aleksa finally decided that she needed rest more than anything and nodded before returning to her path out of the library. Loki watched her exit his suite, a smile slowly crossing his face. 

 


	15. Good Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone settles in for the evening.

“This is a guest room?”

“There are larger suites if that would better suit your needs,” Ingun stated as she placed a tray of food on the side table as Aleksa looked around the space. While considerably smaller than Loki’s suite, the space was massive compared to her home on Earth.

“Oh, gods, no! This is plenty.” Aleksa answered, stepping into the en suite. “Vegas has nothing on this place,” she muttered to herself.

“M’lady?”

“Nothing, sorry.”

“As you wish.” Ingun stood in the center of the reading area until Aleksa returned. “Two handmaidens and a steward will be assigned to you in the morning. His Majesty has also commanded that you are to be escorted in the palace at all times. A guard will be stationed outside your door.”

“Doesn’t sound prison-like at all.”

“It is for your own safety, as well as ours.”

“Naturally.” The sarcasm in Aleksa’s voice went unnoticed.

“One of the Seider novices will come in the afternoon to escort you to the academy. A seamstress will arrive in the morning to measure you for the appropriate attire.”

“What attire?”

“Training robes, daily wear, sleep clothes, and court gowns.”

“I need gowns?”

Ingun’s face showed no emotion. “His Majesty will invite you to any formal events that occur during your stay. You will want to be properly dressed.”

“I don’t do dresses.”

“Unfortunately, m’lady, you will not be given an option.” The snark in Ingun’s voice wasn’t lost on Aleksa.

“Of course not.”

“If there is nothing else, m’lady, I will withdraw.”

“No. Thank you, Ingun.” The maid curtsied and left. Aleksa blew out a sigh, rubbing her wrists. The skin underneath itched from the energy flowing around the bracelets. She wondered if she’d ever be rid of them. Or Loki.

Following a more thorough examination of her quarters, she prepared a small plate of food and moved out to the balcony. She sat down, finally allowing herself to relax enough to eat, looking out over the city Modir had described a hundred times.

_“What is Asgard like?” a young Aleksa asked, her mouth full of food._

_“Much like Earth, in many ways. A sun that rises and sets, summer fades into winter. Breezes blow, rains fall, creatures live and die.” Modir smiled at the child that devoured everything in front of her._

_“How is ‘iffern?”_

_“Aleksa, slow down. No one will take it from you.” She sighed, thinking about her home. “Earth does not possess the sheer power contained within the soil of Asgard. Or the majesty. The royal city is massive and the palace is truly a sight to behold. But the most wondrous vision is the bridge between the Bifrost and the city. It’s transparent, laced with magic that shimmers in all colors of the rainbow, and sings when you step upon it.” She took a drink before adding, “Of course, the creatures and people there live far longer than they do here.”_

_The child’s eyes grew wide. “Does that mean we’ll die young?”_

_“No, little one. Those born of Asgard who have taken the Apple’s essence will live their full term.” Aleksa swallowed. “And you, my darling mixed blood, will live as long as you should. As we all do. I rather imagine that you will find a long and fruitful life here.” Modir took a bite of food._

_“Do you think you’ll ever be allowed to go back?” Modir shook her head no. “Why? Is it because the Jotuns were sending raiding parties?”_

_“Of course not. “_

_“Doesn’t he care that Asgardians are dying on this planet?”_

_“The Allfather has many realms to concern himself with. A band of exiles is surely not at the top of that list.”_

_“But why not?”_

_“Aleksa, before he became the Allfather, Odin was a warmonger. He and his daughter invaded realm after realm, forcing them to bend a knee to his throne while his armies plundered their resources. I and the group of Asgardians who founded this village made a decision to come here when we could no longer stand by and watch other innocents be slaughtered. We confronted Odin and he, in the first show of mercy seen by any realm, offered us a choice: exile or death. We chose exile and came here with the understanding that we were on our own, never to return.”_

_Aleksa sat in silence, contemplating her mother’s words, for the rest of the meal. She worked through the evening’s chores and readied herself for bed. Modir entered her room, lowering the light of the lamp and kissing the child on the forehead._

_“Modir?”_

_“Yes, child?”_

_“Do you think I’ll ever get to see Asgard?”_

_Modir smiled, pulling the blanket around the girl’s neck. “Yes, Aleksa, I believe if anyone were to return to Asgard, it would be you. But, you may not find it to be your home.”_

“Right as always, Modir,” Aleksa whispered as she stood. “It definitely doesn’t feel like home.”

Loki watched her walk inside from a balcony above.  
\------  
Aleksa stepped out of the en suite, drying the last drops of water in her hair. She felt a little more like herself after the long shower that followed her meal. As she tossed the towel into a nearby chair, she suddenly became aware of another presence in the room. She turned slowly, summoning what little power she could to defend herself.

A petite woman dressed in handmaidens clothing sat on the edge of the footstool, staring into the distance. Braided blonde hair was loosely piled on top of her head, revealing a simple pair of gold earrings complimenting a soft, pretty face.

“Can I help you?” Aleksa asked, relaxing slightly. The woman jumped to her feet only to curtsey.

“Forgive me, my lady. I did not hear you enter the room.”

“Same, which is what bothers me. What do you want?”

“I...” the woman fumbled for the words, “I am your handmaiden for the night.”

Aleksa’s head dropped, shaking. “I don’t need anything. Go do whatever it is you do.”

The maiden moved to one side, gathering up the towel before moving into the bath. She appeared soon after, Aleksa’s discarded clothes in her hand.

“That’s the only set of clothing I have at the moment,” she said, reaching for them.

“And they’ll be back before you wake.” The woman smiled, her violet eyes sparkling. “As will more clothing.”

“But Ingun said that...” The pile landed on the footstool as the maiden moved to the bed, turning down the covers.

“It’s all been arranged, my lady. The King has commanded that you are to wait for nothing.” She stood, gesturing to the bed. “Is there anything you require to aid you in sleep? Tea, or perhaps a stronger beverage? A story? Something,” she reached for Aleksa’s hand, “more relaxing?”

“No,” Aleksa said firmly, folding her arms. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“I can be...”

“Listen, I don’t need all this. It’s all very nice, but very weird. I don’t need anything except to be left alone.” The maiden’s face fell, sending a wave of regret washing over Aleksa. “I’m sorry,” she offered quietly. “I’m rather self-sufficient and this is a bit unusual for me. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“As you wish, my lady.” The maiden gathered the laundry to her chest, refusing to look up. “If there is anything you might require later, the guard can send for me.”

“There is one thing.”

The maiden perked up. “My lady?”

“Your name.”

“Oh,” the maiden blushed. “It’s Syr.”

“Thank you, Syr. Good night.”

The maiden curtsied again and left. Aleksa watched with curiosity, unable to shake the feeling that she’d met this girl before.

\-----

_Hot._

_It’s too hot._

_I can’t breathe._

_Why..._

_Loki struggled against the restraints, conjuring every magic he had only to fail. The harder he fought, the higher the temperature rose. He could feel the blood boiling in his veins, but couldn’t bring himself to scream. It’s what they wanted, these Children of Thanos. Whoever that was._

_“Enough,” came a deep, booming voice. “He’ll die before we have what we need.”_

_Even as the heat subsided, Loki’s body continued to shake. Two massive boots stepped in front of him and giant fingers wove into his hair. A new kind of pain racked his senses when his head was lifted to face the Titan._

_“Greetings, Prince of Asgard. I am Thanos. I hope our hospitality has met with your satisfaction.”_

_Loki wanted to spit out a retort but couldn’t find the words. An infuriated glare - at least that’s what he hoped it was - was all he could muster._

_“Maw tells me that you are in possession of something I seek. Something very precious.”_

_“And what,” Loki stuttered, “would that be?”_

_Thanos leaned in close. “Knowledge.”_

_“I know a lot of things,” he quipped, shocked to hear the sarcasm in his own voice. “Was there anything specific you had in...”_

_Pain tore through his body again. He groaned, growled, made every noise under the stars to keep from screaming. Thanos watched him carefully, never easing his grip._

_“Misdirection won’t work in your favor this time, trickster.” The pain stopped with a nod. “Tell me what you know of the Tesseract.”_

_Loki wasn’t sure of his own name at that moment, much less the lore surrounding the Tesseract._

_“I may know where it is,” he lied, sensing Thanos’ impatience for a response._

_“Tell me.”_  
_“I...” Loki grunted, fighting to stay conscious. “I think...it’s...Midgard.” He dared to look his captor in the face and saw confusion. “Earth.”_

_“You think or you know?” Thanos growled, tightening his grip on Loki’s skull._

_“It’s a legend, lost there...before I was...born.”_

_“Are. You. Sure?”_

_“No...maybe...”_

_“You should’ve been sure.”_

_Thanos released him and walked away. Loki began to protest, proclaiming his confidence in the knowledge as the heat and pain returned, growing more unbearable until_

He screamed, landing on the floor with a thud. The stone tiles cooled his sweat coated skin while his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkened room. The cone of silence he cast over his suite each night guaranteed his privacy...and prevented anyone’s intervention in his nightmares.

Loki pulled himself back onto the bed, panting. When he was sure he could walk, he moved into the en suite shower, throwing the cold water open as far as the faucet would allow. He slid down the wall to the floor and spent another night half asleep under the freezing water.


End file.
